Two of Toscotec’s AHEAD-2.0M tissue machines started up at Vinda Personal Care (Guangdong) in Yangjiang, Guangdong, PRC. They will increase the group’s annual production by over 60,000 tons. With these start-ups, Vinda kicked off production at its new Yangjiang mill, strategically located by Yangjiang Port in south-west Guangdong.

Toscotec’s AHEAD-2.0M lines feature a second generation TT SYD-18FT of 5,486 mm diameter and state-of-the-art energy saving technology included in the profitable TT DOES package (Drying Optimization for Energy Savings). The two tissue machines started up on the same day at the same time, proving the high degree of proficiency of the start-up teams.

Throughout six years of close collaboration, Toscotec and Vinda have honed their synergy and consolidated their partnership. Toscotec’s Customer Care and Project Manager Stefano Raffaelli said, “Our teams have reached a very high efficiency of cooperation. Together we have optimized the project timing, during both installation and commissioning. We cut down the duration of tests at the mill, thanks to the thorough checks we perform during pre-assembly at our factory, as an integral part of our quality guarantee”.

Vinda International’s Project Development Center Director, Mr. Liang Weixiong commented, “After three months of intensive work on site, it is a great satisfaction to see these start-ups hit the targets of the scheduled date and time. It is indeed the result of very careful preparation on all the machine’s functions”.

Stefano Raffaelli added, “For all our Vinda’s machines we implemented an efficient use of steam and condensate with different levels of energy recovery. This carefully balanced system ensures the lowest possible energy consumptions. The dedication and competence of the Vinda and Toscotec teams bring out the best of our technology. We achieved good results in terms of energy usage, as well as production increase with speed-ups and optimizations, all of which exceed the original objectives of the projects”.

Toscotec’s tissue lines are currently running at six of Vinda’s production bases across China, in Shandong, Hubei, Sichuan, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

In the coming months, Vinda will fire up another four Toscotec’s lines at its new paper mill in Xiaogan, Hubei province.

Cascades Packaging entrusted Toscotec with a major rebuild of the dryer section of PM1 at Kingsey Falls mill, Canada. In view of the challenging targets of the project, Cascades decided that Toscotec’s technology was the right match for this rebuild, thanks to the flexibility and high level of customization guaranteed by the Italian supplier with regards to the seamless integration between the existing equipment and the new tailor-made solution.

Toscotec’s rebuild will achieve an 8% production increase. The Italian supplier will accomplish this substantial upgrade without increasing the overall length of the dryer section and without increasing the actual width of the dryers’ frame in cross direction. Toscotec’s TTSteelDryer allows better performances in terms of specific evaporation rate, thanks to its reduced shell thickness. Due to its shorter taper length, TT SteelDryer dries a wider sheet with the same space requirements of a traditional dryer section.

The scope of supply includes a number of TTSteelDryers, specifically designed for an operating steam pressure of 14 barg, as well as doctors, wire tensioning system, guiding and sheet stabilizing components. Toscotec’s service specialists will also provide supervision, commissioning and start-up assistance.

With this new contract, Toscotec strengthens its reputation as a top P&B machinery supplier on technically demanding markets such as North America. In particular, through its proven ability to supply all-round tailor-made solutions based on the specific features of the existing equipment and to deliver significant upgrades, over the years Toscotec gained the trust of major papermaking producers across the globe.

Delivery is forecast within the end of August 2018.

About the Cascades Group

Established in 1964, Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibers. The Company employs 11,000 employees, who work in more than 90 production units located in North America and Europe. With its management philosophy, half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues to deliver the innovative products that customers have come to rely on.

Toscotec has successfully renewed its ISO 14001 certificate and EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) registration for the twelfth consecutive year since 2006. It thereby confirms its long-standing commitment to eco-sustainability, starting from its own environmental performance.

In 2005, Toscotec began procedures to evaluate its internal processes according to the strictest international standards of environmental protection. This entailed undergoing an articulate and audited procedure, which led to the the draw up of an environmental management system and a three-year plan. Specifically for EMAS, the Italian supplier also issues an annual report, examined by private and public bodies, including external auditors and EMAS national Competent Body ISPRA.

As a result, back in 2006, Toscotec became the first Italian supplier of tissue and paper machinery to obtain both the ISO 14001 and the EMAS registration and to this day, it remains the only one in Italy.

Toscotec strives to step up the eco-efficiency of its operations on an annual basis. In this view, EMAS is a guarantee vis-à-vis the community and the market at large, as it ensures a comprehensive set of corporate behaviours with environmental impact is kept under serious scrutiny.

Andrea Marzaro, Toscotec’s Operations Director (COO), affirmed, “Toscotec is working towards a continued and tangible improvement of its environmental performance, on a voluntary basis. Full compliance with Italian laws and regulations is the minimum prerequisite for us. We are determined to go the extra mile, pursue the highest environment standards and achieve excellence. Eco-sustainability and environmental protection are our core values and as such inspire our operations. Energy reduction, in its widest sense, is a big part of it”.

In recent years, Toscotec has partly redesigned its layout to become a fully integrated and compact production base, thereby optimizing its manufacturing efficiency. Inspired by lean production, it streamlined its logistic operations and achieved a concrete reduction of power consumption, due to the rationalization of handling and transportation processes.

Toscotec’s headquarters currently include eight workshops, four of which dedicated to the pre-assembly of tissue and paper & board lines. Pre-assembly is one of the cornerstones of Toscotec’s quality guarantee. It aims to reduce the time, the energy and the costs of the erection at the mill and therefore achieve the performance guarantees in a shorter period.

Andrea Marzaro also pointed out “With respect to renewable energy, since 2011 we have been generating electric power from solar energy. In 2011, we implemented the first installation of solar panels on the roofs, covering an area of approximately 1,250 m2 and generating up to 190 kWh electricity, which we give back to the grid. Phase two was carried out in 2012, across 600 m2, with an output of 100 kWh. Phase three is currently underway”.

Toscotec is committed to protecting the environment at local level through its operations, and globally through the design and manufacture of its cutting-edge technology. The Italian manufacturer manages both direct environmental aspects - pertaining to its own operations, like waste, emissions, use of raw materials, energy and water resources, etc. - and indirect aspects.

With respect to its indirect environmental aspects, Toscotec’s Technical Director, Paolo Raffaelli pointed out, “through our advanced design and manufacturing process, we have achieved a significant reduction of the environmental impact generated by our machinery and process, confirmed by field data and positive customer feedback. Our engineering approach aims to enable paper mills to improve their overall performance, by reducing the need of fresh water, electricity and thermal energy, and minimizing their atmospheric emissions, including noise”.

From TT SYD and TT SteelDryers, to Energy Saving tissue lines, to TT SAF (Short Approach Flow) and TT DOES (Drying Optimization for Energy Saving), Toscotec is the leading supplier of technology specifically designed for energy savings and with view to this, it is extensively investing in R&D and innovation.

Steel Yankee dryers have been operating since 2000, and in recent years, they have become the dominant trend in the tissue industry. At present, the estimated number of steel Yankee dryers in operation worldwide is almost 400 units.

However, to this day, there aren’t any official guidelines regulating their safe operation, proper inspection and maintenance. The National Board Inspection codes for pressure vessels (such as ASME, PED, CSEI, JIS etc.) regulate the design and construction of steel Yankees, but their domain ends with the delivery. End users often demand that SYD checks and services be performed according to TAPPI’s standards, pointing to the need for an internationally recognized set of guidelines.

In 2015, Toscotec first put forth the idea of creating an official set of standard practices for steel Yankee’s operations. TAPPI has since entrusted the Yankee Dryer Safety and Reliability Committee - Steel Yankee Subcommittee with the task of creating a new TAPPI TIP (Technical Information Paper) dedicated to Steel Yankee Dryers. In parallel, Toscotec has played a key role in helping update the TAPPI reference book Guidelines for Safe Operation and Condition Assessment of Yankee Dryers, which includes both updated contents for cast iron Yankees and steel Yankees. These publications are expected to become available in 2019.

Toscotec North America’s Lead Technical Service Analyst, Troy Kapalczynski is Chairpersonof TAPPI’s Steel Yankee Subcommittee. As he explained, “the subcommittee is composed of manufacturers and end users who collaborate to expand the knowledge of Yankee dryers and address key questions about what and how proceduresshould be done in order to safely operate, properly control and maintain one of the most important equipment of a tissue mill. We are working to give end users the answers they need to optimize their operations”.

Riccardo Pierini, Toscotec’s Customer Care & Yankee Dryer Service Manager, added, “The subcommittee runs a peer-reviewed, highly specialized and technical project. Specifically for steel Yankees, we addressed issues such as inspection guidelines and principles, non-destructive examinations, routine and non-routine inspections, warm-up and cool-down procedures, and boiler water chemistry. In addition, we also developed maintenance and repair practices among other operating and reliability guidelines. These are all fundamental questions for Yankee managers worldwide”.

As the leading supplier of steel Yankee dryers worldwide, Toscotec is the leading provider of content for TAPPI’s Steel Yankee Subcommittee. In this respect, Toscotec North America’s Area Engineering Manager, Alessandro Rocchiccioli pointed out, “We have 18 years of experience in the design, manufacture, and operation monitoring and service of steel Yankee dryers. With over 200 references, we have TT SYD running across the globe under a wide range of different environmental, pressure and operating conditions. We want to share this experience with the entire tissue industry, because the market has confirmed that steel Yankees are the future and, as an industry, we need a clear regulatory framework, as cast iron Yankees had back in 1992”.

Celupaper S.A. successfully started up PM4, a new MODULO-PLUS tissue machine supplied by Toscotec, at its Papelera Nicaragua mill, Argentina. The tissue machine started producing sellable paper immediately after start-up and is scheduled to reach the target speed in the following weeks, after careful fine-tuning.

The new MODULO-PLUS produces 65 tpd and it features a single layer TT Headbox, TT SuctionPressRoll, TT SYD-3200MM, TT Milltech-MYH monosystem gas-fired hoods. The scope of supply also includes the approach flow system, the electrification & control system, training, erection supervision, commissioning and start-up assistance.

PM4 is part of a series of repeated orders awarded to Toscotec by the leading South American tissue producer. In 2015, the Italian manufacturer carried out the rebuilding of PM2, an existing Fourdrinier machine, and supplied a new steel Yankee dryer TT SYD-2500MM and the complete steam and condensate system. In 2016, Toscotec supplied PM3, a complete MODULO tissue line.

Mario Speranza, CEO of Celupaper S.A. says, “Thanks to the continued production increase implemented with Toscotec’s plants, we have grown significantly in the South American market. Since 2015, we boosted production by over 100 tpd. Tissue quality, machine efficiency and energy reduction are our key standards of investments in new equipment. Throughout 4 years of close partnership with Toscotec, we have achieved good results with respect to all of these aspects and have continuously improved such results”.

“PM4 project evinced once again the excellent cooperation we have with Celupaper. With every new project, we aim to improve their performances. We worked intensively together on the reduction of energy consumption, starting from the design, with our TT DOES solution (Drying Optimization for Energy Savings) all the way to the fine-tuning of the plants at the mill site. On PM4, we also optimized the layout of the electrical and auxiliary plants, to guarantee better access for the operators to the different areas of the machine" commented Toscotec’s Project Manager Pier Paolo Brunazzi.

Toscotec launched its latest innovations during iT’s Tissue 2018. The advanced technologies it presented at its NOWNEXT open house include: Toscotec’s S-Crescent Former and the new TADVISION® machine.

The S-Crescent is a high efficiency forming section, which significantly increases dryness before the pressing area, through optimized dewatering. The aim is to reduce the burden of water removal for the press and consequently the drying section, by boosting dewatering in the wet section of the tissue machine.

Drawing on the experience of its successful installation in the U.S. market in 2004, Toscotec entirely redesigned its TAD machine to achieve superior tissue properties, including bulk and absorbency, and outstanding results in energy consumption. The new TADVISION®ensures improved runnability and machine efficiency thanks to its unique serpentine TAD section, composed of three TAD honeycomb coated drums. A detailed Computational Fluid Dynamic analysis ensures a highly optimized airflow in the air-system ducts leading to the TAD section and Yankee hoods. Overall, TADVISION® ensures a more effective use of energy, bringing consumption down to 4.5-5.5 MWh/ton, a significant decrease compared to the consumption of current TAD machines, which is estimated in the range of 6.0-7.5 MWh/ton. Toscotec is continuing its energy reduction program and is committed to further reducing the overall consumption to less than 4.5 MWh/ton for a plant of the same production capability over the next few years.

The other advanced technologies presented at Toscotec’s NOWNEXT open house include new upgrades of Toscotec’s rewinding line, TT WIND-H and TT WIND-L, and an overview of Toscotec’s excellence in tissue drying, with TT SYD and the Yankee Hood and Air System plants. In particular, Toscotec’s rewinders feature improved performances through a newly perfected automatic web tension control, fast cycles, operator friendly automation and the automatic shaft handling system. The Energy and Environment department presented the most comprehensive range of drying configurations presently available in tissue making, designed to suit all needs and operating conditions, with state-of-the-art heat recovery technology, including up to six energy recovery stages in one single plant.

Finally, Toscotec’s YES (Your Expert Service) division launched its 24/7 service catering for customers round the clock all over the world, with a very special tool, YES – CONNECT-VISION, the new helmet enabling fully integrated communication and problem-shooting excellence.

This year visitors concluded their experience of NOWNEXT open house in the newly inaugurated canteen, a brand-new building within the expanded perimeter of Toscotec’s headquarters, which includes recreational space for employees, such as a fitness center and two lounges.

Toscotec fired up other two AHEAD-2.0L PRODERGY tissue machines at APP’s OKI mill, in South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Following the start-up of two AHEAD-2.0L PRODERGY at Perawang mill earlier this year, these two OKI machines started production in less than 3 months after the start-up of the first of a series of Toscotec’s PRODERGY machine ordered by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) for its Perawang and OKI mills in Indonesia. In the next few months, other four machines will start up at the same site.

Equipped with the most advanced environmental technology presently available, OKI production base is very much green-oriented. The mill will be powered by clean and self-sufficient energy generated from the pulp production process and wood bark gasification. Tissue production guarantees the highest standards in terms of tissue machine’s efficiency and energy consumption reduction, thanks to PRODERGY’s technological advantages.

Toscotec’s Chief Customer Service Officer Valter Di Nardo commented, “The erection, commissioning and start-up of OKI tissue machines was completed in record time. Toscotec’s technical team on site installed the first foundation plate on January 4. After just over one hundred days, we fired up the first AHEAD-2.0L PRODERGY, and after one week, the second start-up followed suit. The mill expressed satisfaction for tissue quality starting from day one”.

Toscotec was selected to rebuild the dryer section of Papertech PM 1 at Tudela mill, Spain. The customer has recognized Toscotec is the right partner to provide the best technology available in the drying process and to accomplish the company targets.

The ambitious aim of the project is to improve the actual gross production, by overcoming several constraints by intelligently applying Toscotec’s Steel Dryer technology and its features. The base project goals were: increasing the production, by maintaining the same length of dryer section, and drying a wider paper sheet with the same dryer face length.

The scope of supply will be on a turnkey basis, confirming once more the consolidated skill of Toscotec to manage complex projects and coordinate all the involved parties.

With this achievement, Toscotec will strengthen its reputation for being an all-round partner for Paper and Board manufacturers.

A key factor of the dryer section modification is to replace completely the last four sections with TT SteelDryer technology, thus resulting in 20 new TT SteelDryers with increased diameter and drying face width. The scope of supply also includes TT AirTail, an advanced rope-less tail threading system, specifically designed for low speed and high basis weight.

Delivery is forecast within the end of 2018, with start-up at beginning of 2019.

Additional Info

About

About Papertech Group

Papertech is a core board specialist having more than 60 years of experience producing paper from 200 up to 1000 J/m2 PlyBond. Their wide product range allows their customers to manufacture any industrial tube they need, regardless of the needs of the final customer. Papertech produce annually more than 300,000 tons of special industrial papers in three countries Spain, Indonesia and China.

The scope of supply also includes erection supervision, commissioning and start-up assistance, as well as onsite training programs on operation and maintenance.

With this new double reference, Toscotec enters the growing Philippine market and strengthens its undiscussed leadership as global manufacturer of steel Yankee dryers. In Asia alone, Toscotec has sold over one hundred TT SYD, out of more than 200 units worldwide. Particularly in the segment of replacing cast iron Yankee with steel Yankee dryers, Toscotec is very far ahead of the game, with over 80 TT SYD replacements in five continents around the world.

Mr. Emmanuel Gaspar, Executive Vice President of Bataan 2020, Inc. declared, “At Bataan 2020, we are committed to responsible industrial production to protect the environment. Among other projects, we produce steam from renewable power sources. Toscotec’s TT SYD make it possible for us to actually reduce steam consumption and keep up the highest standard of efficiency on our operations. We are happy to say that the two TT SYD have been performing extremely well since start-up”.

Gabriele Martinelli, Toscotec’s Area Sales Manager Asia & Pacific replied, “We are very proud to see Toscotec’s cutting edge technology applied to a green project, such as Bataan 2020’s. The market is definitely moving toward the most efficient drying solutions, which deliver the best performances with the lowest ecological footprint. This is why we are confident that TT SYD and its continuous evolutions will play an increasingly important role in the years to come”.

About Bataan 2020, Inc.

Bataan 2020 is one of the leading manufacturers of fine quality paper, board and tissue in the Philippines. It operates paper mills in Samal, Bataan and Baesa, Quezon City to produce over 100,000 metric tons of paper annually. With roots in the paper industry dating back to 1956, Bataan 2020 has built on its papermaking experience and has grown to include businesses in renewable power generation and chemical manufacturing.

The second generation TT SYD-16FT replaced a cast iron Yankee and it was started up on schedule in mid-January 2018. The scope of supply also included the complete Yankee steam and condensate system.

Toscotec is the inventor and the undiscussed market leader of steel Yankee dryers worldwide, supplying SYDs both for new tissue machines and in replacement of cast iron Yankees. This proves that paper mills across the globe acknowledge that TT SYD is the best technology currently available on the market in terms of energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Mr. Di Leva, CEO of Paperdi, said, “After monitoring the new TT SYD for a few months, we can say that it has been performing extremely well in terms of drying efficiency and allowed us to reach the top speed. We are particularly happy with the steam consumption figures, and we expect to bear the fruits of this replacement in the long run, by significantly cutting production costs”.

About Cartiera di Pietramelara

Located in the province of Caserta, Cartiera di Pietramelara mill belongs to the Italian tissue producer Paperdi srl. Since 1989, the mill has been producing tissue products such as industrial rolls, kitchen rolls, toilet jumbo rolls and towel tissue, with the household brand “Soavex” and the professional brand “paperdi”. The current annual production is 45,000 tonnes. Inspired by a strong ecological mission, Paperdi mainly utilizes recycled materials to reduce the environmental impact of the manufacturing process.